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NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Advice on gaining a clear picture of soil nitrogen levels

With some uncertainty about how much residual nitrogen is in soils, growers are being urged to consider getting fields tested ahead of early fertiliser applications.  Hutchinsons fertiliser and crop nutrition specialist Rob Jewers says there are two…

SOILS

Why soil assessment should come before cultivations

Arable farmers face significant cultivation choices this autumn about how much - or indeed whether - to cultivate soils. The dry conditions of 2025 mean that over-working soils could lead…

SOILS

4 ways to solve common soil issues on arable farms

Farmers are often swamped with different soil tests, nutrient analysis and data sets that flag up potential limiting factors on farm. After initial observations, how can these results be effectively…

SOILS

How to make a comprehensive soil profile on-farm

Understanding the health and characteristics of soils by conducting a soil profile helps growers identify key issues, such as compaction, nutrient deficiencies, and drainage problems. It leads to informed decisions…

SOILS

Expert advice to improve soil fertility post-harvest

As harvest wraps up across the country, farmers are turning their attention to autumn crop nutrition and soil organic matter levels, where the use of a soil conditioner could help…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How to companion crop successfully in winter wheat

Companion cropping is an emerging practice that is recognised in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) with an action that attracts a payment of £55/ha. In its most common form, it…

Case studies

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PLOUGHING AND CULTIVATION

How a farmer grows cereals without plough or herbicides

Organic farmer Peter Cheek is successfully growing a range of cereal crops in a min-till system without the use of the plough or herbicides. Instead, a series of strategic cultivations…

SOILS

Herts grower shares experience with Johnson-Su bioreactor

A source of protozoa and nematodes, the extract from a US-invented composter is part of one Hertfordshire grower’s five-year plan to improve soil biology and cut costs. Richard Blair, with…

PLOUGHING AND CULTIVATION

Long-term direct driller reveals yield impact of ploughing

A wheat crop established under the plough yielded 1.7t/ha more than the long-term direct drilled part of the field, more than paying for the extra costs associated with ploughing. But…

SOILS

Grower's insights from four-year clover living mulch trial

Matt England, estate manager at the Fring Estate in Norfolk, has been exploring the potential of clover living mulches, testing how ground-hugging clovers can accumulate nitrogen and suppress weeds. The…

SOILS

Why two returning farmers pressed for regenerative change

After 18 years working in sports marketing in London and for the Department of Health, Jennie Tatlock returned to the family farm in the Yorkshire Wolds in 2022, along with…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How integrating livestock in rotations cuts crop inputs

As sustainable farming practices become increasingly important, some agronomists and farmers are exploring how integrating livestock into arable systems can bring both environmental and economic benefits. By combining rotational grazing…

Insights

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SOILS

Soil tech solutions target compaction and green farm energy

Two emerging technologies offer a novel way to crack soil compaction and harness electricity generation from soil bacteria. We take a look at how they work. See also: Home-grown pulse incentive…

CROP MANAGEMENT

High crop yields key to gross margins and lower emissions

High yields are often associated with inflated input costs that erode profit and intensive systems which damage the environment, but emerging evidence tells a very different story. Insights from the…

PEST MANAGEMENT

How odour, sound and vibrations can control crop pests

Could weaponising odour, sound or microbes found naturally on crop leaves be the solution to some of the toughest pest challenges growers face?  From scent-based repellents that disguise crops from…

SOILS

Why arable farmers should target 5% soil organic matter

Targeting a soil organic matter level of 5% and maintaining a neutral pH can help optimise crop nutrition and promote good soil husbandry. Organic matter is the soil’s main nutrient…

PEST MANAGEMENT

How beneficial rhizobacteria can reduce insect pests

Inoculating crops with beneficial rhizobacteria has been shown to reduce insect pest damage by priming natural plant defence pathways. Certain bacterial strains can activate internal defence mechanisms of plants, altering…

SOILS

Expert advice on creating biologically dynamic soils

There is currently an influx of biological products coming to the market promising improvements to soil health and yield, but can these claims be sustained in practice? Creating a biologically…

SOILS

7 organically approved soil amendments to boost cropping

Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving cropping system. Below, are a variety of organically approved soil amendments that can help farmers enhance soil health and productivity. “The ultimate…

Latest soils news

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ARABLE

Free national soil map to be opened to farmers in 2026

Farmers and land managers in England and Wales will gain free access to the UK’s most comprehensive soil data under a landmark agreement between Cranfield University and Defra. The partnership…

SOILS

2026 Soil Farmer of the Year competition open for entries

The 2026 Soil Farmer of the Year competition, which celebrates the achievements of farmers who have enhanced soil health, is now open for entries. Run jointly by Innovation for Agriculture and…

SOILS

Seismic technology to help map UK’s true soil quality

Researchers in the UK are claiming a breakthrough in soil science, using mini sensors to send ultra-high frequency waves into the earth to collect data on soil depth, moisture and…

BIODIVERSITY

Free tools to help farmers monitor habitat and biodiversity

A new freely available app is helping farmers and landowners monitor biodiversity and manage habitat quality. The app, known as e-Surveyor, uses artificial intelligence (AI) to make ecological surveying more…

Video

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MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Video: UK agroforestry system integrates fruit and arable

First-generation tenant farmer Stephen Briggs planted the UK’s largest agroforestry system, integrating fruit trees and arable cropping to boost land productivity. More than a decade after the 4,500 apple trees…

ARABLE

Video: Why cows and trees are part of Essex arable business

George Young is making big changes to his arable business with nature at its heart. Read the full report and watch the videos for more detail on his tree planting…

ARABLE

Video: Grower undersows with clover to cut fertiliser costs

A regenerative farmer is experimenting with white clover understories to reduce his nitrogen fertiliser bills and provide additional grazing for the ewe flock. The price of natural gas, a key…

POTATOES

Video: How a US potato grower is slashing pesticide use

Growing potatoes on a commercial scale with virtually zero synthetic inputs would seem impossible, but this is exactly what one US farmers has achieved using what he calls “biotic farming”,…